This invention is directed to the providing of an improved fishhook which is designed to be advantageously used for live bait fishing. Numerous types and configurations of fishhooks are known for use in connection with live bait fishing. Most of the hooks heretofore available are of the conventional single or multiple simple barb hook design. The problems encountered by fishing with this type of hook are many. First, live bait has a tendency to become dislodged from the hook after several casts. Second, live bait, such as minnows, appears extremely lifeless on a simple barb hook as they are generally hooked at a point such that they will not move through the water in a natural, lifelike appearing manner, and consequently less appetizing to the predator game fish that is being sought. Third, the bait does not substantially hide the hook from the view of the fish. As a consequence, many fishermen use artificial bait which can be securely attached, will not become dislodged as easily, and can appear more animated. However, it is well-known that artificial bait is consistently less successful than live bait.
To combat the problem of losing bait, double prong or barb fishhooks were developed such as those by J. Andrews, U.S. Pat. No. 2,266,725; C. S. Roy, U.S. Pat. No. 2,563,554 and L. Barker, U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,359. Andrews discloses a fishhook having the traditional primary barb at one end of the shank but, additionally, having a small barb formed at a point along the shank in spaced relationship to the primary barb. The hook shank then curves into a reverse bend and terminates in an eye for attachment of a fish line. The vertical plane of the eye is perpendicular to the vertical plane of the shank and is located at about the small barb relative to the length of the shank, but is substantial laterally spaced relationship thereto. As a consequence, this hook configuration tends to be unstable, resulting in erratic and unnatural movement of the bait as it is pulled through the water. Roy discloses a continuous piece of metal with a double hook feature, but the two barbs are at right angles to one another. Barker, in FIG. 1, discloses a fishhook with a traditional primary barb at one end and a second small barb in spaced relationship to the primary barb. However, the eye is in the same horizontal plane as the shank and results in instability and erratic movement of the bait as the hook is pulled through the water.
Although all three of the noted previously patented hooks have dual barbed hooks, each hook has characteristic disadvantages and fails to meet desired performance standards. First, the bait undergoes a great deal of stress in Roy, U.S. Pat. No. 2,563,554, and Barker U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,359, and, because of the angle at which the bait is secured with respect to its direction of movement through the water, it can easily become disabled or dislodged. In Andrews, U.S. Pat. No. 2,266,725, while the bait can be secured fairly well, the hook spins about the eyelet while in the water. The problem of the spin and resultant erratic movement of the bait was neglected in Barker, Roy and Andrews so the bait did not appear lifelike when it was pulled through the water.